sleep tight

English

Etymology

The word tight is sometimes explained as here meaning “well, soundly”.[1] However, it can just as well be interpreted in its literal sense of “firm, fast”; compare fast asleep.

Phrase

sleep tight

  1. If you keep yourself tightly bundled you will sleep warm and rest well.

Interjection

sleep tight

  1. (nightly farewell) good night
    • 1963, J P Donleavy, A Singular Man, published 1963 (USA), pages 138, 139:
      "Thank you for washing the dishes."
      "Goodnight, Mr Smith.
      "Goodnight, Miss Martin. Sleep tight."
      Miss Martin's door closes. Hear her light switch on.
      Smith locking latches on doors and windows. Turning off the faint music on the vast radio. The light out under Miss Martin's door.

Translations

See also

References
  1. “What is the origin of the phrase ‘sleep tight’?”, in Oxford Living Dictionaries‎, accessed 23 July 2018, archived from the original on 2017-04-10
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.